"Bad Episodes" you think are good?

[Tallguy]

"A Piece of the Action" is considered bad?? So far, everyone I had seen commenting on it loved it. It's my favorite episode, by the way.

I've heard it disparaged fairly often. I find it both funny while still being completely in character for Our Heroes. Mores so than Tribbles or even the back half of By Any Other Name.

I always really liked TNG's "Encounter at Farpoint parts 1 and 2". OK, so there was some bad acting in it (I'm looking at you Marina Sirtis and Wil Wheaton lol) but that wasn't the actors' fault really because the actors didn't really know their characters yet. The episode does a great job at establishing the show and the "awe and wonder" of space travel. TNG didn't really find its groove until season 3 but if "Encounter at Fartpoint" was a complete disaster there never would've been a season 3 at all.

Farpoint rocks. Imagine if all of season one had been at least that good. There is a certain "Fontana-ness" to it. (And more than a little Great Bird in the front half.) They clearly didn't know what to do with Troi. And they wouldn't for... How many seasons?

I know we were starved for Star Trek, but you're right. They got to coast on Farpoint above and beyond even "We'll even watch bad Star Trek!"

 

[BillJ]

I am a huge fan of “The Omega Glory” and “Bread and Circuses”.

 

[Oddish]

I found "Shades of Gray" to be a good enough episode for what it was (an episode with a ludicrous time constraint), and don't understand why the intriguing "Masks" gets the hate it does. Also, "The Royale" is campy fun.

And, "A Night in Sickbay" is actually pretty funny, if you've had a few drinks.

 

[JLA]

I'm not a big Enterprise fan which makes my liking a couple of the most justifiably problematic episodes, Dear Doctor and A Night in Sickbay ironic. I agree with the criticisms of ANIS. If the world wanted a lousy diplomat, Archer is the perfect choice. As a story about a man, his dog and doctor, ANIS succeeds. I think Dear Doctor would've worked as an episode without finding a cure for the disease.

 

[BillJ]

I'm not a big Enterprise fan which makes my liking a couple of the most justifiably problematic episodes, Dear Doctor and A Night in Sickbay ironic. I agree with the criticisms of ANIS. If the world wanted a lousy diplomat, Archer is the perfect choice. As a story about a man, his dog and doctor, ANIS succeeds. I think Dear Doctor would've worked as an episode without finding a cure for the disease.

“Dear Doctor” was just plain dumb. With no thought given to the Menk if the Valakians died out.

 

[JLA]

“Dear Doctor” was just plain dumb. With no thought given to the Menk if the Valakians died out.

Dear Doctor was quiet, the structure of the episode drew me in. I was disappointed it ended the way it did.

 

[BillJ]

Dear Doctor was quiet, the structure of the episode drew me in. I was disappointed it ended the way it did.

Not judging your choice. Just offering my two worthless quatloos.

 

[Oddish]

I can think of four (there may be more) episodes where the captain has to make a Big Controversial Decision. Two were on DS9: Sisko's planet-poisoning in "For the Uniform" and his subterfuge in "In the Pale Moonlight". By and large, the Trek community seems to mostly support him.

The third was Janeway's decision regarding Tuvix, and the fourth was Archer's decision to not help the Valakians in "Dear Doctor". By and large, the community seems split down the middle in the former, and to oppose Archer's decision in the latter. Maybe the writers of DS9 just had a better bead on how the fans thought.

 

[AntonyF]

I found "Shades of Gray" to be a good enough episode for what it was (an episode with a ludicrous time constraint), and don't understand why the intriguing "Masks" gets the hate it does. Also, "The Royale" is campy fun.

I agree with you. Shades of Gray I think used the format well. The collection of montages really showed the range of content and tones that TNG had covered. It also allowed Pulaski to be a great doctor in her final episode.

Mask I really enjoy for something different.

I won't even entertain The Royale as being a contender for worst! It's one of my favourites.

 

[JLA]

Not judging your choice. Just offering my two worthless quatloos.

Your opinion is entirely justified.
I enjoyed Dear Doctor but making Phlox search and finding a cure but not using it was an unnecessary ending. I would've avoided the dilemma entirely.

 

[Kor]

I don't know about "bad," but I've noticed that TOS "A Piece of the Action" tends to get some flak for being a comedic episode. I don't care. It's a rip-roaring good time, and I love it.

Kor

 

[Farscape One]

"A PIECE OF THE ACTION" is a genuinely fun episode. It was even one of episodes that was going to be the basis of the 30th anniversary for DS9 until the writers decided on "THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES" being the one.

 

[Tallguy]

"A PIECE OF THE ACTION" is a genuinely fun episode.

I'm sure that's why some people hate it. I love it because it's a fun episode but I never feel that it is at the expense of the characters. Even Kirk's driving.

 

[I am not Spock]

Episodes people don't like, but I like them:
Arena (people laugh at the rubber Gorn, its always been one of my favourite tos episodes since I was a kid).
The Gamesters of Triskelion.
Masks.
Move Along Home.
The Thaw.
Vox Sola
All In (Disco)
The Elysium Kingdom
A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

 

[trekfan_1]

The Alternative Factor
The Royal
Rascals
Profit and Lace

 

[fireproof78]

I can think of four (there may be more) episodes where the captain has to make a Big Controversial Decision. Two were on DS9: Sisko's planet-poisoning in "For the Uniform" and his subterfuge in "In the Pale Moonlight". By and large, the Trek community seems to mostly support him.

The third was Janeway's decision regarding Tuvix, and the fourth was Archer's decision to not help the Valakians in "Dear Doctor". By and large, the community seems split down the middle in the former, and to oppose Archer's decision in the latter. Maybe the writers of DS9 just had a better bead on how the fans thought.

Yes.

That's why they made a point of calling Dukat evil because fans expressed sympathy for the character.

 

[Oddish]

That's why they made a point of calling Dukat evil because fans expressed sympathy for the character.

Even in the episodes where he was played as sympathetic, Dukat never lost the inherent ruthlessness at his core.

 

[Farscape One]

He was evil. Straight up. He just disguised his evilness with charisma.